The Latest on the Law: Updates from the Boston Bar

Divorce Fundamentals: Separation Agreements

In this session, the Panelists will discuss the essential provisions for all Separation Agreements related to: alimony, custody/parenting plans, child support, the division of the marital estate, health insurance, income taxes, and life insurance, as well as the key provisions related to the enforcement and modification of a Separation Agreement.

 

Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.org

Well-Being Leadership Skills Series Part 3: Building Capacity for Innovation

The BBA, in collaboration with Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers (LCL) is offering a three-part series directed at helping leaders improve their skills in three key areas-building connections, building capacity for difficult conversations, and building capacity for innovation. We strongly encourage BBA leaders and all BBA members that are leaders within their firm or organization to watch the introductory recording linked here and attend all three sessions. The series will end with a celebration during our June Community Connections Breakfast.

 

Building Capacity for Innovation: Growing Your Leadership Skills for the Wellbeing of Your People and Your Business

 

Building mindful awareness can increase our capacity for empathy and compassion but limiting beliefs can keep leaders stuck in their ways. This session explores how to change our mindset.  For leaders, this can be especially challenging when trying to implement new policies, change billing systems, learn new technology or support their teams in stressful times. 

 

The conversation will begin around what is “mindset” and how to move from a fixed to flexible mindset including working through resistance to change.  Through experiential exercises, leaders will practice creating a more resilient mindset using techniques based on research around how to move toward a stress-is-enhancing mindset.

 

Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.org

From the Ground Up: Development and Construction Basics

Round out your skills as a “dirt,” or real estate, lawyer by learning about the basics of constructing a building from the ground up – from obtaining the permits or relief needed to unlock development potential on a site to entering into AIA contracts with the architects and contractors who will help design and construct the building. Join us for a discussion in which we will cover important concepts in development, construction and beyond. 

 

Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.org

Basics of Bank Capital

The program will provide an introduction to bank capital, its uses and purposes, and the current debate on how to raise capital, including trade-offs between the benefits of raising capital and the impact of doing so on the economy.

 

Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.org

Administering Poorly Drafted Trusts

Join a panel of three experts in various areas of trust administration, including drafting, trusteeship, and fiduciary litigation. The panelists will delve into strategies for managing poorly drafted trusts and navigating worst-case scenarios that could lead to litigation. Topics will span from the initial drafting of the trust document to termination, offering comprehensive coverage of aspects in between. 

 

Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.org

A Deep Dive into EPA’s Power Plant GHG Pollution Rule

This program will provide a comprehensive assessment of EPA’s recently released final greenhouse gas emissions limits for power plants, including the rule’s pollution control requirements, available control technologies, climate change benefits, environmental justice impacts, and electric reliability implications, as well as analysis of potential legal challenges to the rule that may be on the horizon. As many are aware, EPA’s attempts at setting greenhouse gas emissions standards for power plants has a storied and complex history spanning several presidential administrations and resulting in arguably one of the most consequential Supreme Court decisions in environmental law, West Virigina v. EPA. Come join our panel of preeminent environmental and energy law experts as they offer their analysis of this latest chapter in EPA’s efforts to rein in power sector greenhouse gas emissions. 

 

Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.org

Representing Veterans in Discharge Upgrades: Appealing DOD Board Decisions in Federal Court

Many of the men and women who served in the U.S. armed forces are cut off from veterans’ services and benefits because they were given a less-than-honorable discharge. They may have served in combat or have suffered physical or mental wounds, but are nevertheless unable to access much-needed treatment and support from federal and state veterans agencies because of their discharge status. In many cases, the origin of their need for support—for example, service-related post-traumatic stress disorder or having experienced military sexual trauma—also contributed to the conduct that led to their less-than-honorable discharges. Fortunately, DOD record correction boards can change these unjust discharges. Unfortunately, despite recent increases in grant rates, the boards still deny or only partially grant most applications. But there is another way: appealing to federal court.

This program will offer an in-depth training on appealing negative board decisions under the Administrative Procedure Act. A panel of experts will share their experiences and offer best practices for challenging board decisions. The discussion will cover the when, where and why of deciding to go to federal court, EAJA  fees, recent class actions, and other strategic considerations.

This program builds upon prior discharge upgrade pro bono trainings. Attorneys who did not attend the prior trainings are welcome to attend this training. To access previous recordings and supporting materials, click the link here. Attorneys who are interested in volunteering to represent a veteran in a discharge upgrade with the Veterans Justice Pro Bono Partnership, a project of the Veterans Legal Clinic at the Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School, should contact Margaret Kuzma at mkuzma@law.harvard.edu.

 

Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.org

2024 Special Needs Housing and Trust Updates

In this program, Attorney Karen B. Mariscal will guide us through the most recent developments relative to the HOTMA regulations and procedures. Executive Director of PLAN of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Joan McGrath, will update us on changes to the policies surrounding the funding and use of pooled special needs trusts in Massachusetts. 

 

Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.org

Public Participation in Energy and Environmental Law Proceedings

 Join experts in issues pertaining to energy and environmental law to learn about how the public currently engages in agency procedure and how the Commonwealth and advocates are working together to enhance these processes to accomplish better and more equitable outcomes. Hear perspectives from attorney and non-attorney advocates and from the Commonwealth on efforts to increase engagement, protect environmental justice communities, and advance Massachusetts’ decarbonization goals. 

 

Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.org

Family Vacation Homes: Pitfalls and Planning

Your clients envision leaving the family’s vacation home to their heirs to be enjoyed for generations to come. How forcefully should you dissuade them? And if they persist, how can you best structure the bequest in order to mitigate the problems that might arise in the future? In this hour-long session, an experienced estate planning lawyer and a probate litigator will address these questions, dive into the risks and downsides of leaving vacation homes to heirs, and talk about what you can do to reduce the prospects for trouble down the road.

 

Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.org